1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
Disgraced takes place in 2012 in New York City and it centers around the lives of Amir and Emily as well as secondary characters in Amir’s nephew, Hussein/Abe, and their couple friends, Isaac and Jory. This play is focused inside of Emily’s and Amir’s apartment and develops mostly at one dinner inside of the apartment attended by the two couples. It deals with Amir’s internal conflict being an assimilated Pakistani-American and trying to figure out who he is and how to deal with connections to his culture.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is when Amir’s quote about supporting the local Imam is published in the Times.The Imam is suspected of being linked to terrorists. This brings tension between Amir and Emily and Amir and his coworkers, which eventually leads to his unemployment.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day Amri supports the local Imam creating a tension that forces him to deal with his internal conflicts.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Can Amir’s internal conflict be solved, or will his two identities and the rift between them dissolve himself?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
Exposition one, one that everybody knows, is us knowing that Amir and Abe changed their names to distance themselves from their culture and be able to be more successful in the city.
Exposition two, one only known to a character until revealed, is when Amir tells Abe the story of his childhood crush, a young Jewish girl, and how his mother taught him to hate at a young age.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
The most theatrical moment in the play is when Amir beats Emily. There is such a raw emotion and violence displayed to the crowd. It is representative of everything that Amir has been dealing with bubbling to the surface. Everything that he has been repressing for so long explodes all at once in this moment. Emily is the representation of the outside views on Islam yet she is also everything that Amir has strived to be. She represents him being assimilated. She is the white, American, non-religious wife that he was looking for. She was the life he was hoping that he could have.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
-Race -Religion -Repression -Culture stereotyping and responsibility -Islamophobia
8. What does the chief character want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of his getting what he wants?
Amir wants to assimilate into American culture, be accepted by his peers, and make partner, and all of this is challenged by his internal conflicts of self and how he is perceived by the outside world. It is both a me vs. myself issue and a me vs. society issue. He has all this pent-up aggression towards himself and the world because of his struggles with everything that he has been repressing himself, but this is egged on with how he believes the world sees him, and how it does. This leads to him losing his job and this leads to his outburst at dinner and the beating of Emily.
There is also other points of conflict with Jory and Isaac with the partner scandal and the affair, but these are just vehicles to convey the actual struggle and overall message of the play.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The painting of AMir
This shows that Amir was her muse. It is very personal but also shows what their relationship was really like.
The Empty Apartment
This helps show the emptiness of Amir and Emily as they go through this point of their lives. Especially Amir who has lost everything.
The beating
This represents the years and years of repression that Amir has been dealing with.
Disgraced helps us see how Amir is seen at the end of the play, but it also shows us how he has been scared to be seen for who he really is. He is disgraced of his pat and culture because he doesn’t want to be disgraced.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Family is complex in this play. It is seen as your roots, but not what has to define you as Amir is trying to dispel who he was in the past. He did not have great family relationships growing up, but he still has Abe around, a connection to his family and past.
Amir also has Emily, his wife. He uses her to try to create this new definition and perception of who he is.
Disgraced takes place in 2012 in New York City and it centers around the lives of Amir and Emily as well as secondary characters in Amir’s nephew, Hussein/Abe, and their couple friends, Isaac and Jory. This play is focused inside of Emily’s and Amir’s apartment and develops mostly at one dinner inside of the apartment attended by the two couples. It deals with Amir’s internal conflict being an assimilated Pakistani-American and trying to figure out who he is and how to deal with connections to his culture.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is when Amir’s quote about supporting the local Imam is published in the Times.The Imam is suspected of being linked to terrorists. This brings tension between Amir and Emily and Amir and his coworkers, which eventually leads to his unemployment.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day Amri supports the local Imam creating a tension that forces him to deal with his internal conflicts.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Can Amir’s internal conflict be solved, or will his two identities and the rift between them dissolve himself?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
Exposition one, one that everybody knows, is us knowing that Amir and Abe changed their names to distance themselves from their culture and be able to be more successful in the city.
Exposition two, one only known to a character until revealed, is when Amir tells Abe the story of his childhood crush, a young Jewish girl, and how his mother taught him to hate at a young age.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
The most theatrical moment in the play is when Amir beats Emily. There is such a raw emotion and violence displayed to the crowd. It is representative of everything that Amir has been dealing with bubbling to the surface. Everything that he has been repressing for so long explodes all at once in this moment. Emily is the representation of the outside views on Islam yet she is also everything that Amir has strived to be. She represents him being assimilated. She is the white, American, non-religious wife that he was looking for. She was the life he was hoping that he could have.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
-Race
-Religion
-Repression
-Culture stereotyping and responsibility
-Islamophobia
8. What does the chief character want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of his getting what he wants?
Amir wants to assimilate into American culture, be accepted by his peers, and make partner, and all of this is challenged by his internal conflicts of self and how he is perceived by the outside world. It is both a me vs. myself issue and a me vs. society issue. He has all this pent-up aggression towards himself and the world because of his struggles with everything that he has been repressing himself, but this is egged on with how he believes the world sees him, and how it does. This leads to him losing his job and this leads to his outburst at dinner and the beating of Emily.
There is also other points of conflict with Jory and Isaac with the partner scandal and the affair, but these are just vehicles to convey the actual struggle and overall message of the play.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
- The painting of AMir
- This shows that Amir was her muse. It is very personal but also shows what their relationship was really like.
- The Empty Apartment
- This helps show the emptiness of Amir and Emily as they go through this point of their lives. Especially Amir who has lost everything.
- The beating
- This represents the years and years of repression that Amir has been dealing with.
Disgraced helps us see how Amir is seen at the end of the play, but it also shows us how he has been scared to be seen for who he really is. He is disgraced of his pat and culture because he doesn’t want to be disgraced.10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Family is complex in this play. It is seen as your roots, but not what has to define you as Amir is trying to dispel who he was in the past. He did not have great family relationships growing up, but he still has Abe around, a connection to his family and past.
Amir also has Emily, his wife. He uses her to try to create this new definition and perception of who he is.